Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo: It’s no gamble betting high

The flagship edition of Skoda’s smallest crossover delivers strongly for specification and style.

Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo

Price: $42,990

Powertrain and economy: 1.5-litre turbo-petrol inline-four, 110kW/250Nm, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, 2WD, combined economy 5.8L/100km, CO2 131g/km.

Vital statistics: 4241mm long, 1988mm wide, 1553mm high, 2651mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 400 litres, 17-inch alloy wheels.

We like: Smartest-styled version, Active Cockpit display.

We don't like: Awkward phone integration.

IF you’re thinking the name is a link to Monaco’s famous casino and intends to suggest the top-flight version of Skoda’s smallest sports utility is some sort of dice-throw gamble? Wrong. 

The reason why the Kamiq takes the ‘Monte Carlo’ in its more fulsome format is entirely do with the brand’s exploits in motorsport.

Most obviously associating with rallying at World Championship level these days, Skoda’s roots in motorsport reach back more than 100 years.  

The first recognised stint was in 1901, when Narcis Podsednicek participated for the first time in the Paris–Berlin race riding a motorcycle from Laurent and Klement, Skoda’s forebear. 

So, it’s the current exploit and past tradition that provide a historic and sporty connotation that will progressively attach to other performance variants, perhaps even those versions that presently identify as RS cars.

Or perhaps not. There’s a distinct difference in temperature separating the Kodiaq RS – which, until the new Octavia arrives, registers as the only Skoda RS on the local distributor’s books - and the Kamiq Monte Carlo.

It’d be unfair to call the Kamiq tepid, yet it really doesn’t stand out as being as fightclub-ready as the special K version of the Kodiaq, just in smaller format.

A 1.5-litre petrol powertrain shared with the Kamiq Ambition Plus tested recently is peppy rather than outright power-packed, so just doesn’t have the visceral oomph that wallops in with the angriest Kodiaq – in which an against-trend turbodiesel really proves why an oiler engine can work very effectively as a performance SUV powerplant - and the suspension tuning being tailored more toward comfort means it won’t carry that dash as sharply through the bends.

Where the two cars do stand equally, though, is in how smartly they present at the kerbside. Regardless that it isn’t any different for performance than the Kamiq Ambition Plus tested recently, the Monte Carlo nonetheless very effectively imparts as looking as though it will be the king-hitter of its three-variant immediate family.

And it’s not just that it looks racier. It also has the air of a better-finished car, simply because the basic design is especially effectively detailed in its most expensive format.

That’s not to bag the Kamiq for its general shape and dimension. Skoda design is less flamboyant than you get from Volkswagen and Audi, true, and even SEAT tends to sneak in a touch more flair. Yet there’s a pleasing aesthetic with the Czech brand’s look. And as much as the Kamiq could be called a mini-me of the Karoq which, in turn, is just really a scaled down Kodiaq, the end result is that all three cars relate coherently and all have a tidy appearance. 

Even so, the fact that the Monte Carlo on test registered much more of a wow factor than the preceding Ambition Plus came down to two factors.

First, the arrival of a Monte Carlo in its hero hue, Corrida Red, really enforced how it’s among those cars that simply step up massively when meted a bold colour. The car straight away looked so much more interesting than the Ambition Plus’s homeware white. 

Influencing that thought, too, was impression that the Monte Carlo just looks better with the additional adornments that restrict to its trim level.

The black roof rails, stronger-styled alloys and LED headlamps are finishing touches that really lift its appearance.

The cabin also benefits from the red interior detailing, ambient interior lighting and a step up to the larger (at 9.2 inches) infotainment system with sat-nav that, along with digital instruments with variable display settings, present a classier look than the analogue dials in the cheaper cars. This is the least expensive model yet to achieve the ‘Active Cockpit’ familiar from others in the VW family and it really sets a nice tone; there’s a lot of benefit from having it and operability-wise, nothing’s too techy. 

The sunroof I could take or leave – it doesn’t inhibit headroom too much but just seems like a fixture that will never be of much benefit - but the privacy glass, power-folding door mirrors, even that it has a height-adjustable passenger seat and front-seat lumbar adjustment. All these model-specific features just make it a more appealing car. 

Unfortunately, yes, they also make it a more expensive one. The $6000 spacing between all three models sees this one sitting at $42,990. As much as this is still less than some others charge for their like-sized equivalents, it is nonetheless comfortably more than could be spent on a front-drive Karoq, albeit with a less flashy trim.

If your eyes are only for the Kamiq, though, and your intent is to achieve a well-equipped small crossover for personal use and don’t mind it only coming in front-wheel-drive, then it really has to resonate all the same.

On the equipment side, the Monte Carlo plays an ace-rich hand. It has all the stuff you might wish wasn’t absent from the mid-range model and a lot more.

Apart from everything else listed, this edition provisions front parking sensors, adaptive dampers and sports-styled, yet comfier, seats, in a cabin that’s far more enticingly trimmed overall, though as in the Ambition Plus I was bugged by the centre tray not being quite large enough to comfortably hold my iPhone (yes, there’s also a phone holder pocket, but in being set up for left hand drive, it sits on the ‘wrong’ side of the transmission tunnel, so just isn’t useful).  

Anyway, plugging in the phone raise an irk relating to the ports to enable phone integration to the screen. Skoda is bang on trend in provisioning USB-C ports (four in all, two in the back) and it’s a nice touch for it to include a standard USB adapter. However, the socket demands the cable plugs in vertically and that makes it an awkward and touchy connection; you need only a slight bump to cut out Apple CarPlay integration.

Those aren’t deal-breaker annoyances, though, and in general design and spaciousness the Kamiq sells itself very confidently. There’s lots of space in the back for two large adults, with good amounts of leg and headroom, and the boot is a good size too. Skoda has always been good at coming up with some nice touches to make life easier; you get the usual umbrella stored in the doors, a removable boot light that acts as a magnetic torch and an ice scraper in the fuel filler cap.

The drivetrain is fine, if short of fiery. This fuel-injected four-cylinder operates well enough with the seven-speed DSG automatic, yet performance is adequate, rather than pacey. Smooth from idle to redline and keen to slip into fuel-saving cylinder deactivation mode when it gets the chance, a sequence that you might not even twig to if it wasn’t signalled on the dash display, because the refinement barely erodes.

The Monte Carlo adds in Drive modes – Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual. Eco softens the throttle to encourage more efficient driving and Normal presents the in much the same feel that you get in the Ambition Plus. Sport adds a buzz to the exhaust and sharpens the throttle response, adds weight to the steering weight and firms up the suspension. Individual, as you’d expect, lets you tinker with each setting as you wish. Sport was the default for most of the test, simply because it made the car feel and sound more characterful.

 Driving-wise? The Kamiq is set up as a comfort-oriented driving experience, but in the Monte Carlo format it’s more vivacious, that’s for sure. It’s not outright zippy or taut-feeling, but is confident through the corners with minimal body roll, and the steering feels suitably weighty and accurate.

It’s an easy car to like and live with and, if you don’t require the additional benefits that a Karoq provisions – like superior towing, an all-wheel-drive option and a roomier cabin still – then you should be happy enough sticking with the family baby.

Skoda Kamiq: Big on aspiration, but ...

As much as the mid-level variant’s designation suggests optimised ambition, perhaps a touch more still wouldn’t hurt.

Skoda Kamiq Ambition Plus

Price: $36,990

Powertrain and economy: 1.5-litre turbo-petrol inline-four, 110kW/250Nm, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, 2WD, combined economy 5.8L/100km, CO2 131g/km.

Vital statistics: 4241mm long, 1988mm wide, 1553mm high, 2651mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 400 litres, 17-inch alloy wheels.

We like: Effervescent and economical powertrain, roomy interior, quiet running.

We don't like: Dull interior trims, undersized infotainment screen, incomplete driver assist provision.

NOT too much, not too little – as the middle child version within the three-strong family representing Skoda’s smallest crossover, the Kamiq in its Ambition Plus configuration should occupy a sweet spot.

The less expensive of two derivatives running the strongest engine, a 1.5-litre petrol, kit-wise more in tune with the 1.0-litre base car and cost-wise at the dead centre, $6000 less than the Monte Carlo flagship, $6000 more than the entry car.

Outwardly, then, the most pragmatic selection from a brand that aces as a sensible choice; the perfect stop for those seeking a practical, versatile family transport in a compact, affordable package.

And yet … somehow, not quite.

Why? Let’s get back to that. First, let’s say the Kamiq in general is a good addition within Skoda SUV-dom. Entering a sub-sector that’s winning a lot of attention, it’s also sure to ride comfortably into action.

Yes, there are a huge host of potential rivals, yet it delivers with quiet commitment to making a good fist of being the best kind of Skoda: A car that stands out without ever doing anything overt to draw attention to itself. Different, but not weird. Well-designed, but nothing dramatic.

The look is familiar. Who mentioned Russian Dolls? Well, yeah, in respect to the general body design, it looks as much like a smaller Karoq as that car comes across as a three-quarter scale Kodiaq. But don’t go thinking Skoda design is a cushy job involving little more than rescaling blueprints on the company photocopier. The general ethos might not have changed, but there’s a lot of evolution happening here. Just look at their faces, for instance.

Putting the dipped beam projectors just above the daytime running light strips, as part of one combined unit, has been the look affected by the Karoq and Kodiaq. On the Kamiq, though, the DRLs are above and the headlights themselves sit – separately, but only barely – just below. A minor tweak, perhaps, agreed, but one that has massively dramatic effect of making the baby immediately look the more modern.

Same goes inside. The general ambience is samey, yet the new baby has some sassy in-cabin design improvements - such as a smarter infotainment touch screen - that are destined to feature in the Karoq next.

All this and the model’s name - Kamiq comes from the Inuit language spoken in Greenland and northern Canada and means ‘perfect fit’ – would seem to relay impression that a lot of the special K flavour from the bigger models has filtered into this newbie.

Yet, while true in general ambience, it’s not quite right in respect to overall ability. As a spin-off from the Scala hatch, Kamiq builds upon the VW Group MQB-AO platform, designed for small cars. This delivers plenty of pluses, yet also means it can only have front-wheel drive and torsion beam rear suspension.

So even though it has some electronic assists to help reduce wheel slip on challenging surfaces, it’s not at all up to emulating the off-road adventure abilities that are a given with the larger lookalikes. Likewise, with such a light frame and a modestly-oomphy engine, which revs hard but hasn’t a lot of low-down pull that you’d get with diesel (which doesn’t offer in our market), it doesn’t have the same towing credibility.

Still, being crossover-lite is hardly breaking against sub-category convention; if anything, it means this model is running at common pace with everything else it directly sells against.

If you only want a car such as this for mainly urban fossicking and there just one or two people using it for the majority of the driving time, then the Kamiq sells itself quite well. The performance is good, the car’s external dimension is perfect for zipping around built-up areas and fitting into tight parks and, space-wise, the cabin keeps up established Skoda hallmarks.

Though front seat occupants are seated a little closer to each other than in a Karoq, it seems to pretty much have as much head and leg room up front as the larger car and proved pleasant for adult-sized rear seat occupants even with a tall driver. That Kamiq rides 37mm higher than Scala with which it shares its underpinnings and also has raised seating also means it fulfils the all-important remit of delivering a SUV-ish aura, though ultimately it is quite ‘ish’ in that respect.

Chuck in a 400-litre boot, with a useful reversible floor mat (rubber one side, carpet the other), and 60:40 split rear seats that can increase the cargo capacity to 1395 litres and it’s really on target as a particularly decent choice among compact crossovers that might even feasibly act as a family’s only car. Assuming you want that with a SUV flavour. If not, then there’s the Scala. 

The equipment provision is intriguing and is potentially this derivative’s weak point.

It’d be churlish to scold Skoda NZ for determining a commitment to piling in a load of active and passive safety features as a priority. The Plus doesn’t tick every box, but it has almost all the good gear, with a lane keeping device, fatigue alert, seven airbags, cruise control, AEB along with collision avoidance.

Notwithstanding, it’s a pity the brand’s largesse doesn’t reach to blind spot monitoring, rear traffic alert and active cruise control. The Plus can, be ordered with these, but obviously inclusion has to happen at time of assembly, so conceivably most potential buyers won’t bother. At best, you’d have to wait four years between box-ticking and the car’s arrival.

As things stand, then, you can either accept the Ambition Plus as is, or take a deep breath and spend that extra $6k and buy the Monte Carlo. Frankly, the temptation would be great: As much as the flagship is priced to the point of almost being precariously placed, it seems to be the better deal. On the equipment side, it has all the stuff you might wish wasn’t absent from the mid-range model and a lot more: A panoramic sunroof, adaptive LED headlights, tinted windows, front parking sensors , adaptive dampers, a bigger centre infotainment screen with much better resolution and black carbon sports seats.

On top of that, the Monte’s cabin is trimmed far more nicely; I normally don’t mind cloth trim, but the quality and colour of the furnishings in the Ambition Plus on test were disappointingly dowdy. They’d probably pass muster were the car aiming at fleet interest but, of course, that generally doesn’t happen. Private buyers just want a bit more pizzazz and flair than this car was able to present.

For sure it’s not billy basic. Though the infotainment display is meanly-sized, it does a good job of supporting Apple CarPlay. And some of Skoda's 'Simply Clever' touches (door-edge protectors, an umbrella in the door, a torch in the boot and more) also still provision.

The four-cylinder TSI engine operates well enough with the seven-speed DSG automatic to support conjecture it’ll be the bigger seller. Performance is adequate, rather than pacey, but with a sub-ten-second 0-100km/h time and good midrange responsiveness, it's a good engine. Smooth from idle to redline and keen to slip into fuel-saving cylinder deactivation mode when it gets the chance, a sequence that you might not even twig to if it wasn’t signalled on the dash display, because the refinement barely erodes. 

The car’s overall quietness is set to be a selling point. Moreso than the general driving characteristics. It’s tidy enough – little understeer, lots of grip, nicely-weighted steering and good pedal feel – and is up for being driven at a tidy clip, yet seems less vibrant and informing than the VW T-Cross and SEAT Arona which share this platform. It’s fine, but not flamboyant.

That’s often the Skoda way, of course – this is a brand that aces in understatement, after all - and while some might think it a bit too dull, undoubtedly others will find appeal in how it gets the job done with quiet, grown-up efficiency.

For all that, the Ambition Plus would be all the more appealing were it meted just a little more pizzazz. As much as it has a good drivetrain, decent interior space, it would be better with a slightly stronger equipment list and some high-quality fixtures and fittings.